Skip to main content

Streaked rattlepod (Crotalaria pallida)

Kuku renteng or streaked rattlepod or chique chique or giant striata (Crotalaria pallida) are flowering plant species in the Fabaceae family, annual perennial shrubs or short-lived, up to 1.5 m high with woody stems, hairy and have longitudinal grooves.

C. pallida has leaves with a trifoliate structure with 2-8.5 cm long stems, 3-13x2–5 cm wide and elliptical. Flowers are yellow or reddish brown and appear on stems 15-40 cm long, each of which consists of 20-30 flowers.

Dlium Streaked rattlepod (Crotalaria pallida)

Fruits are pod shaped and measure 3-5x0.6-0.8 cm, each of which has 30-40 seeds that are heart shaped and measuring 3x2 mm, shiny and dark brown. The pods are green and brown when ripe, then dry and fall to carry water.

Kuku renteng grows wildly around rice fields, untreated lands and seasonal wet environments. This plant is favored by many flying insects including great eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina), chocolate grass yellow (Eurema sari), kismo bee (Xylocopa aestuans) and Javanese grasshopper (Valanga nigricornis).



Streaked rattlepod is widely used as ground cover and is processed as green manure. Flowers are eaten as vegetables and seeds baked to be used as a kind of coffee drink in Cambodia. Roots are chewed with areca nut in Vietnam.

C. pallida is also widely applied in traditional medicine to treat urinary problems and reduce fever, the roots are used to treat joint swelling and leaf extract to expel intestinal worms.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Spermatophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Dicotyledonae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Crotalaria

Popular Posts

Porang (Amorphophallus muelleri)

Porang or iles-iles ( Amorphophallus muelleri ) is a plant species in Araceae, the petiole is a pseudo stem with a height of 40-180 cm, 1-5 cm in diameter, round, green or purple with irregular white spots, each branching point grows brown bulbil and yellow bulb. A. muelleri has all leaves or stems or stems that are light green to dark green or gray and has greenish-white patches, smooth or smooth surface. The leaves are elliptical in shape with pointed leaf tips, smooth and wavy surface. When flushing has 3, 4-5, 5-6 and finally 6 minor leaves branching with 3 minor petioles. Young leaves have light purple or green edges and will end in yellow and 0.3-0.5 mm wide. The whole canopy is 50-150 cm wide. The stems grow above the tubers with a diameter of 25-50 mm and a height of 75-175 cm. Tubers have a brownish yellow or gray color on the outer surface and brownish yellow on the inside, are slightly oval in shape, fibrous roots, weigh 450-3350 grams, smooth tissue, 4-5 months of dormanc...

Cempaki (Termitomyces microcarpus)

Cempaki ( Termitomyces microcarpus ) is a species of fungus in the Lyophyllaceae family. It grows wild in tropical Asian forests near termite nests. It is rarely reported in urban areas. It is edible and known for its deliciousness, high nutritional value, and difficulty in cultivating. In Indonesia, it is used as an alternative food ingredient. T. microcarpus is the smallest of the Termitomyces species, umbrella-shaped, plain white, measuring 5 cm tall and 2.5 cm wide. It grows in dense clusters on surfaces and forms a mutualistic relationship, requiring the metabolic activity of termites as a substrate for growth. This species is known for its deliciousness, rich in nutrients, and has potential bioactive properties, such as helping lower cholesterol and acting as a tonic. Currently, it is difficult to cultivate on a large scale, and people rely solely on wild harvests. This mushroom is highly favored for its savory, delicious flavor and soft, chewy texture. It is often stir-fried ...

Screw tree (Helicteres isora)

Screw tree ( Helicteres isora ) is a species of plant in the Malvaceae family. It is a shrub or small tree, up to 8 meters tall. It has gray bark and alternate leaves, up to 22 cm long and 17 cm wide, oval in shape, with serrated edges and hairs. The flowers are red or white and reach a total length of 5.5 cm. The fruit is green when unripe, brown or gray when dry, twisted, spiral-shaped, and pointed at the tip. The seeds are black or brown, shiny, and diagonal, triangular, or rectangular. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Malvales Family: Malvaceae Subfamily: Helicteroideae Tribe: Helictereae Genus: Helicteres Pluk. ex L. in Sp. Pl.: 963 (1753) Species: Helicteres isora L. in Sp. Pl.: 963 (1753) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Helicteres baruensis var. ovata DC. in Prodr. 1: 476 (1824) Helicteres chrysocalyx Miq. ex Mast. in J.D.Hooker, Fl. Brit. India 1: 365 (1874) Helicteres corylifolia Buch.-Ham. ex Dillwyn in Rev. Hortus Malab....